1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for displaying an error of an image forming apparatus and particularly error control incase of power source abnormality.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, power consumption of image forming apparatuses has shown a tendency to increase. Thus, it is required to decrease the entire energy consumption by reducing the power consumption not only during operation but also in a state of a power saving mode to the best extent possible.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-78197 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-25882, an image forming apparatus prepares a power source for a power saving mode, supplies power only to a main storage device in the power saving mode, and holds only main programs and necessary data in the main storage device to allow it to suppress power consumption in the power saving mode and return at a high speed while decreasing power consumption in the power saving mode.
On the other hand, with an increase in kinds of functions and a speedup of a semiconductor, power needed during standby and operation of an image forming apparatus has increased more and more, and a load of a power source (main power source) that normally operates the mage forming apparatus is continually increases, year after year. Accordingly, the function of the image forming apparatus is built upon the main power source.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-318624 discusses a technique in which if an abnormality occurs in a main power source, the abnormal state of the main power source is detected, abnormality information is stored in a nonvolatile memory, and control is executed from the nonvolatile memory so as not to turn on the power source after the next operation. Further, a technique is also discussed in which the main power source is similarly switched to an auxiliary main power source and the operation is continued.
However, in a configuration in which a conventional user interface (UI) receives power from a main power source, when the abnormality occurs in the main power source, the UI cannot be used. There are no measures to determine an error, and a user cannot grasp the state of the apparatus. Hence, it is difficult to determine a failure part. Further, if the UI continuously receives power from a sub power source, increase of the power supply capacity of the sub power source is needed and a cost is also increased. Furthermore, when the auxiliary main power source is prepared, the cost is further increased.